Thermoplastic Vulcanizates Comprising Aliphatic Polyketone and Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer Rubber

Abstract

Disclosed are thermoplastic vulcanizates comprising a plastic phase and a rubber phase and process for preparing such thermoplastic vulcanizates, wherein the plastic phase comprises an aliphatic polyketone and the rubber phase comprises EPDM.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) material comprising polyketone as the thermoplastic polymer phase and EPDM as the rubber phase. 
     
     
         2 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate comprising a blend of
 (a) a plastic phase comprising from about 30 parts to about 80 parts, based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic, of an aliphatic polyketone having a melting point of from about 180° C. to about 260° C.; and   (b) a rubber phase comprising from about 70 parts to about 20 parts, based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic, of an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM);   
       wherein crosslinks are present in the rubber. 
     
     
         3 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 2 , wherein the crosslinks are formed by mixing the rubber with a peroxide curing agent. 
     
     
         4 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 3 , wherein the peroxide curing agent is selected from diacyl peroxide, dialkyl peroxide, perester, hydroperoxide, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 2 , further comprising a coagent. 
     
     
         6 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 5 , wherein the coagent is selected from multifunctional acrylate and methacrylate esters and dimaleimides, zinc salts of acrylic and methacrylic acid, allyl containing cyanurates, isocyanurates and phthalates, homopolymers of dienes, and copolymers of dienes and vinyl aromatics, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 2 , further comprising a plasticizer. 
     
     
         8 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 7 , wherein the plasticizer is melt miscible with the rubber phase and the plastic phase. 
     
     
         9 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 7 , wherein the plasticizer is capable of functioning as a plasticizer for one or both of the plastic phase or rubber phase at the plastic melt temperature. 
     
     
         10 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 7 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from sulfonamides and acid esters. 
     
     
         11 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic vulcanizate comprises from about 4 to about 35 parts of the plasticizer based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic phases. 
     
     
         12 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 7 , further comprising a processing aid. 
     
     
         13 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 12 , wherein the processing aid is selected from maleated polyolefin plastics and rubbers, or maleated vinylidene fluoride polymers or copolymers, and the thermoplastic vulcanizate comprises from about 4 to about 35 parts of the processing aid based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic phases. 
     
     
         14 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 2 , which is prepared by dynamically crosslinking a melt blend with a peroxide curing agent, wherein the melt blend comprises a plastic phase and a rubber phase, and
 the plastic phase comprises from about 30 parts to about 80 parts by weight, based on 100 parts of total plastic and rubber, of an aliphatic polyketone having a melting point of from about 180° C. to about 260° C.; and   the rubber phase comprises from about 70 parts to about 20 parts, based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic, of an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM).   
     
     
         15 . A gasket, tube, hose, seal, vibration dampener, stator, fitting, housing, case, film, shock absorber, anti-vibration mount, coupling, bushing, sleeve, or bellows, or foam comprising a thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A tube or hose comprising at least one layer comprising a thermoplastic vulcanizate according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A process for producing a thermoplastic vulcanizate comprising mixing a composition comprising a plastic phase and a rubber phase with a peroxide curing agent, wherein the mixing is carried out under conditions of shear and at a temperature above the melting point of the plastic phase, and wherein
 the plastic phase comprises from about 30 parts to about 80 parts, based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic, of an aliphatic polyketone having a melting point of from about 180° C. to about 260° C.; and   the rubber phase comprises from about 70 parts to about 20 parts, based on 100 parts of total rubber and plastic, of an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM).   
     
     
         18 . A process according to  claim 17 , wherein the rubber phase and the plastic phase are melt blended prior to the addition of the peroxide curing agent. 
     
     
         19 . A process according to  claim 17 , wherein the rubber phase and the plastic phase are melt blended while the peroxide curing agent is added to the composition. 
     
     
         20 . A process according to  claim 17 , wherein the conditions of shear are such that a maximum shear rate is less than 10,000 s −1 .